Influence of controlled water supply on shoot and root development of young peach trees.

Abstract

Three controlled water supply treatments were applied to 1-year-old peach trees grown in root observation boxes. The treatments were: I(0), growth medium maintained at 50% field capacity; I(1), water supplied when daily net tree stem diameter change was negative or zero for 1 day; I(3) as for I(1) except that water was applied after net daily stem diameter change was negative or zero for 3 consecutive days. Trees in treatment I(0) had the greatest mean daily first-order shoot growth rates, and trees in treatment I(3) had the lowest shoot growth rates. Because leaf production rate (apparent plastochron) of first-order shoots was unaffected by treatment, differences in shoot length were due to differences in internode extension and not to the number of internodes. Trees in treatment I(0) had a greater number of second-order shoot axes than trees in treatment I(1) or I(3). Furthermore, an increase in the rate of growth of the first-order shoot axis was associated with an increased tendency for branching (i.e., the development of sylleptic second-order shoots). Increased leaf length was also associated with more frequent watering. Trees in treatment I(0) had the greatest root lengths and dry weights, and this was attributed to a greater number of first-and second-order (lateral) root axes compared with trees in the I(1) and I(3) treatments. The extension rate and apical diameter of first-order roots were reduced by the I(3) treatment. The density of second-order roots along primary root axes was not affected by any of the treatments.